Legislative Assembly briefs
'No, the health file is not too big for me'
Laura Busch
Northern News Services
Published Friday, October 25, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Sparks were flying at the legislative assembly on Wednesday as Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins voiced his dissatisfaction with the way the Department of Health and Social Services is dealing with addictions services.
The target of his blame was Minister Tom Beaulieu, who he alleged is not in control of his own department. He specifically took aim at a commitment made last year to create a pilot program that would partner social workers with RCMP officers to patrol Yellowknife streets.
Despite the minister's commitment, the project was later quietly dropped behind the scenes, Hawkins alleged.
"Who is in charge of this department and if he isn't, come on over here. We'll welcome you back in great arms because we'll put someone over there that can do the job because this minister doesn't," he said.
Government House Leader Michael Miltenberger took exception to the comments on Thursday by making a point of order because, in his view, "this was beyond what is acceptable in this legislature."
In the debate that followed, Hawkins defended his right to call out ministers for inaction, which he tried to do again later in the day during question period, asking Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Robert C. McLeod why he has done nothing to bring 911 emergency phone services to the NWT.
Speaker Jackie Jacobson scolded Hawkins for going after McLeod.
"I'm going to remind the members again, this is not a soap box you can step on to make anybody look bad," he said. "Let's start working together."
Jacobson has yet to make a ruling on Miltenberger's point of order.
To frack or not to frack
Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley resumed his role as the main opposition to hydraulic fracturing earlier this week.
He asked Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Miltenberger what his department is doing to manage the social and environmental impacts of fracking in the Sahtu.
"We are looking at how we manage the balance between environment and resource development in the Sahtu," said Miltenberger. "In this case, the issue of fracking is a major piece of technology that's being used where there are risks, but we are of the opinion that we can manage those risks."
Bromley quipped back that he was not aware sufficient research had been conducted for the minister to have formed the opinion that fracking in the Sahtu is safe.
A guidance document on fracking is expected to be presented to committee this week. There is no word on when these recommendations will be made public.
Unreasonable rent increases
Now is the perfect time to consider legislating reasonable rent increases, as the government is working to update the Tenancy Act, Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro said.
"Any increase to a tenant's rent should be reasonable. Yet that aspect of a rent increase is not within the purview of the rental officer because of the way the Residential Tenancy Act is currently written. The act does state that rent increases can only be done once per year, but a tenant has no place to turn, no one to appeal to if they feel their rent is being unjustly increased," she said.
